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Abstract

We analyze the sensitivity of the degree of linear polarization in the Sun's principal plane as a function of aerosol microphysical parameters: the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index, the median radius and geometric standard deviation of the bimodal size distribution
(both fine and coarse modes), and the relative number weight of the fine mode at a wavelength of
675nm. We use Mie theory for single-scattering simulations and the
doubling–adding method with the inclusion of polarization for multiple scattering. It is shown that the behavior of the degree of linear polarization is highly sensitive to both the small mode of the bimodal size distribution and the real part of the refractive index of aerosols, as well as to the aerosol optical thickness; whereas not all parameters influence the polarization equally.
A classification of the importance of the input parameters is given. This sensitivity study is applied to an analysis of ground-based polarization measurements. For the passive remote sensing of microphysical and optical properties of aerosols, a ground-based spectral polarization measuring system was built, which aims to measure the Stokes parameters I, Q,
and U in the visible (from 410 to
789nm) and near-infrared (from 674 to
995nm) spectral range with a spectral resolution of
7nm in the visible and
2.4nm in the near infrared. We compare polarization measurements taken with radiative transfer simulations under both clear- and hazy-sky conditions in an urban area (Cabauw, The Netherlands,
51.58°
N,
4.56°
E).
Conclusions about the microphysical properties of aerosol are drawn from the comparison.

References

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a The Cabauw values are used as standard input for the Mie simulations. The fourth column gives the range in which the values are varied for the sensitivity study. For comparison purposes the fifth and sixth columns give the average values as measured by AERONET in urban locations (Greenbelt and Paris).[11]

a The classification is for multiple scattering simulations (column 1) and their effects on the degree of linear polarization in the forward-scattering direction (column 2), the maximum polarization (column 3), the position of the maximum (column 4), and the polarization in the backscattering direction (column 5). Two sky cases are considered: clear sky (11 October 2004, Table 3) and hazy sky (8 May 2003, Table 3). Classification of the effects is as follows: very significant (++), significant (+), minor (−), and insignificant (−−) (see Subsection 3.D).

a The Cabauw values are used as standard input for the Mie simulations. The fourth column gives the range in which the values are varied for the sensitivity study. For comparison purposes the fifth and sixth columns give the average values as measured by AERONET in urban locations (Greenbelt and Paris).[11]

a The classification is for multiple scattering simulations (column 1) and their effects on the degree of linear polarization in the forward-scattering direction (column 2), the maximum polarization (column 3), the position of the maximum (column 4), and the polarization in the backscattering direction (column 5). Two sky cases are considered: clear sky (11 October 2004, Table 3) and hazy sky (8 May 2003, Table 3). Classification of the effects is as follows: very significant (++), significant (+), minor (−), and insignificant (−−) (see Subsection 3.D).